160-year-old Willenhall church forced to shut down

New Invention Methodist Church was set up in the 1840s with the first meetings held in cottages before the actual church itself was built.

The original chapel was constructed in Lichfield Road in 1851, but, as attendances grew, the existing red brick building on the opposite side of the road opened for worship in 1898.

Despite the sadness of closing down, the congregation held a thanksgiving service attended by more than 130 people to celebrate its ministry in the community for well over a century.

In its heyday the Sunday school was 60-children strong with sports, Bible quizzes and uniformed activities a popular draw.

Church member Brian Cadman explains: "Over the last 10 years the church has considered many proposals for future development and a means of continuing on the site but in the end the church council took the decision to close – defeated by a rapidly declining and ageing congregation and increasing financial burdens.

"The council recognised that a regular congregation of on average 20 could not produce the £500 plus per week needed to keep the church open, pay the bills, maintain the building and plan developments making it fit for the 21st century.

"The church itself was in need of rewiring, new heating and had some dry rot problems and the organ needed a £20,000 restoration project.

"The main church building has not been used for worship for more than two years as the heating system was old, inefficient and unreliable, and could not be used for the final service because of these problems."

Despite ups and downs regular activities had included a Sunday School, Boys and Girls Brigade meetings, Zumba and yoga clubs, table tennis group and a senior citizens' luncheon club.

The hall was wrecked in a devastating arson attack in April 1989 and at the time members launched a successful £100,000 appeal to rebuild it. Mr Cadman added: "The fire damaged about two-thirds of the Sunday school building.

"The interior was all destroyed, including the doors and the roof."

It took around two years for the congregation to raise the £100,000 needed to rebuild it.

Letters were written to local businesses appealing for donations and fundraising events were held at the church. "The closure of the church has been greeted with sadness and some criticism – mainly from sources who do not appreciate the huge costs in maintaining a large site, but it is true to say that a small team of dedicated members have worked tirelessly to raise money just to keep going," Mr Cadman added.

They are now attending other Methodist churches in Essington, Bloxwich and Short Heath after closing at the end of last year.

A two-day celebration featured a well-attended exhibition of memorabilia and photographs of the church's history followed by the final service.

Memorabilia include a cup and saucer set from when the church first opened in the 1800s. A trowel used to lay the foundation stone at the church was also included in the display, as well as photographs charting the history of the Boys Brigade group that met at the church.

In 2010 the church was targeted by metal thieves three times in the space of as many months, leaving members having to fork out hundreds of pounds in repairs to the building.

The church had to spend £600 in roof repairs after lead was plundered from the main hall and storage buildings in the grounds. The costly repairs came at a bad time for the church as it was trying to raise £5,000 for a new central heating system.